Arizona picks Jesuit’s Jordan Lawlar 6th in MLB draft; will elite prospect sign or head to college?
Lawlar, 18, was The Dallas Morning News’ 2021 Player of the Year.
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6. Arizona Diamondbacks: Jordan Lawlar, SS, Jesuit HS (TX)
Who is Lawlar? The No. 1 player on Kiley McDaniel’s draft board, Lawlar has been considered the top prep player in this class since the summer of 2020. A Dallas high school product, he has above-average tools across the board and has drawn comparisons to Carlos Correa and even Derek Jeter for his ability to hit to the opposite field.
Why the Diamondbacks took him here: Anytime you can get a player ranked No. 1 on draft boards with the No. 6 overall pick, you have to be excited. Lawlar has above-average tools across the board, the best glove of this year’s four highly touted prep shortstops and the potential to grow into an All-Star-level player at the position.
Jesuit shortstop Jordan Lawlar, the 2021 Dallas Morning News Baseball Player of the Year, was selected sixth overall in the 2021 MLB draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday night, becoming the eighth high school prospect ever from the Dallas-area to go inside the top 10.
In a draft flush with high school shortstops, Lawlar was the second off the board, following Marcelo Mayer, who was drafted fourth by the Boston Red Sox. The Texas Rangers drafted Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter second.
On the MLB Network broadcast, Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin called the 6-foot-2 Lawlar a “special player,” after the Diamondbacks selected him. He also compared Lawlar to one of the greats.
“I just compared him to [Derek Jeter], and you never want to do that because that’s dangerous,” said Corbin, whose program has scouted Lawlar since before he made it to high school, “but you see similar body patters in how they move and so on.”
Lawlar is the second Dallas-area high school shortstop selected in the top 10 in the last three drafts. Former Colleyville Heritage star Bobby Witt Jr. was selected second overall in 2019, tying Arlington Martin’s Ben Grieve (1994) as the two highest selected local players since the draft began in 1966.
Lawlar has long been thought of as a top prospect in the 2021 MLB Draft. This past season he showed why. Lawlar finished his senior season hitting .412 with six home runs and 37 RBIs. He also went a perfect 37-for-37 on stolen base attempts, flashing speed and ability that’s rare at the high school level.
“He just really makes everything look smooth,” Jesuit head coach Brian Jones said recently. “And for most high school kids it’s going to be tough to make a play, but he makes it look easy. I hate to go that far with it, but he really does.”
It’s that type of talent that made powerhouse Vanderbilt – the school Lawlar eventually signed with – interested in Lawlar before he event started his freshman season at Jesuit. It’s also what’s made him a consensus top prospect in the draft.
ESPN MLB Insider even ranked Lawlar as the No. 1 prospect in the draft, but in a conference call with reporters, McDaniel forecasted that Lawlar might not go within the top five picks.
“There are increasing odds that Jordan Lawlar is the one of those four high school shortstops that slides,” McDaniel said this week. “I don’t think he has a natural landing spot until six or eight.”
We now know where Lawlar landed. The question now is: will the star shortstop sign? Lawlar has been committed to Vanderbilt since 2019. He recently flew to Omaha to spend time with the team and watch them play in the College World Series.
If Lawlar does decide not to sign and instead attend Vanderbilt, he’d be walking away from millions. The signing bonus slot value for the sixth pick is $5,742,900, though there’s room for negotiation below and above that number. The last time a top-10 pick didn’t sign was 2018, when high school pitcher Carter Stewart was selected eighth overall, but couldn’t come to an agreement with the Atlanta Braves.
Lawlar, 18, is also an interesting case because he could be eligible for the 2023 draft, a year earlier than most college players are allowed because of his age.
Whether Lawlar signs remains to be seen, but no matter what, he can now call himself a top-10 pick in the draft.
The Arizona Diamondbacks select Jordan Lawlar 6th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft
Somehow, the Arizona Diamondbacks managed to get one of the best high school bats in the 2021 draft at pick 6.
With the 6th selection in the 2021 MLB Draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Jordan Lawlar out of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas.
The shortstop has long been viewed as a top prospect since projections began. Many experts have drawn comparisons between him and Bobby Witt Jr, a fellow shortstop selected in the first round. And while Witt was certainly more verbose coming out of high school, Lawler has all the right tools to make a big splash for a program.
His bat speed blankets the entire strike zone, but offensively his strikeout rate can teeter to the higher side. As with any high school prospect, there’s always a question of how power will develop long-term. His bat speed is consistent and fast enough that even if Lawler’s power at the plate pans out to be just average, he’ll be strong offensively.
While he stands out at the plate, his skills at shortstop are what add extra flair to his draft stock. MLB Pipeline notes that Lawler’s athleticism and instincts in the field are top tier. Inconsistencies are certainly present, but that’s to be expected of a player coming out of high school and are not of concern to be a long-time problem. Once he settles into a program and expands on his already sharp skills at the plate, he’ll be a force in years to come.
Jordan Lawlar
| Jordan Lawlar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Shortstop | |||
| Born: July 17, 2002 Irving, Texas |
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Jordan Lawlar (born July 17, 2002) is an American baseball shortstop. He was selected in the first round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the sixth overall pick.
Career
Lawlar began playing baseball around age five. He attends Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas in Dallas, Texas. He began playing varsity as a sophomore in 2019. As a sophomore, he batted .409 with five home runs, and in 2020, his junior season, he hit .485 with one home run and 13 RBIs over 12 games before the season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That summer, he played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic, and was named the Jackie Robinson Perfect Game Player of the Year. As a senior in 2021, he hit .412 with six home runs, 37 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases. He committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University.
Who is Jordan Lawlar?
Jordan Lawlar, the No. 3 prospect entering the 2021 MLB Draft, was picked sixth overall by the D-backs on Draft day. A Vanderbilt commit from Jesuit Prep High School in Texas, Lawlar has starred on the showcase circuit and was just named Texas’ Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year. Here’s what you need to know about the 18-year-old shortstop.
FAST FACTS
Primary position: SS
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 190 lbs.
Bats/throws: Right/right
Birthdate: July 17, 2002 (Age 18 on Draft day)
High school: Jesuit Prep (Texas)
Hometown: Irving, Texas
College commitment: Vanderbilt
He bookended his HS career with home runs
Lawlar homered on the first day of his varsity baseball career … and his last.
The first homer came on Jesuit’s opening day in 2019. Lawlar’s varsity career with Jesuit Prep had been delayed until he was a sophomore because he lived outside the school’s attendance zone, so he was stuck playing JV at first. But once it finally began (Lawlar had already committed to Vanderbilt by that time), it began with a bang.
That day, Lawlar went deep off Logan Kohler (now an infielder at Oklahoma), a game-tying home run in the seventh inning with Kohler two outs away from a shutout.
And in his last game for Jesuit, a playoff loss this May, Lawlar brought it full circle, homering one last time.
He’s following Josh Bell
Lawlar wouldn’t be the first star hitter from Jesuit Prep to make the Major Leagues. Nationals slugger Josh Bell is a Jesuit alum, too — that’s where the Pirates drafted him from in the second round in 2011.
Lawlar has met with Bell more than once, and the two have talked about hitting, the mental side of baseball and life in general.
“It shifted away from baseball and we just talked about life and the kind of men we want to be,” Lawlar told The Athletic’s Jamey Newberg.
Bell even started sharing audiobooks with Lawlar — but not baseball books — like Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist,” Tim Ferriss’ “Tools of Titans,” and Christian D. Larson’s “The Optimist Creed.” But those books helped influence Lawlar’s approach to baseball, from his pre-at-bat routine to the way he tries to block out all the noise around him when he steps to the plate.
And he’s learning from Vernon Wells
Bell isn’t the only Major League influence on Lawlar. Three-time All-Star Vernon Wells, who played 15 seasons in the big leagues, has been one of Lawlar’s advisers since last year.
And Wells couldn’t sing Lawlar’s praises more highly.
“There are a few people that I played with that he reminds me of as a person,” Wells told the Detroit Free Press’ Jeff Seidel. “One is Mike Trout, who always has a smile on his face and enjoys being around his teammates, enjoys the game. And I think the other is Derek Jeter — just the presence that he has.”
He played for Clayton Kershaw’s old travel team
Lawlar played for the Dallas Tigers, a youth player development team that plays in tournaments and showcases around the country, starting from when he was nine years old.
A lot of star baseball players are Tigers alumni. The biggest of all is Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was in the program’s graduating class of 2006.
Other notable Dallas Tigers? Yankees pitcher and two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber (class of 2004) and White Sox flamethrower Michael Kopech (class of 2014).
He’s drawing comparisons to Bobby Witt Jr. … and Derek Jeter
When it comes to player comps for Lawlar, the most natural is Bobby Witt Jr., the No. 2 overall Draft pick by the Royals in 2019 and the current No. 7 prospect in baseball.
Lawlar and Witt are both five-tool shortstop prospects who came from Dallas-area high schools. And according to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, Lawlar is an even more polished hitter than Witt was coming out of high school.
But there are other, even loftier comparisons for Lawlar. MLB.com prospect expert Jonathan Mayo recently surveyed scouts and executives about who Lawlar reminded them of. The results?
“Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, even 2019 Texas high school shortstop draftee Bobby Witt Jr., all came up, but the most complimentary comp was to Derek Jeter, not just with his actions, but with how he carries himself and his demeanor,” Mayo reported.
One American League scouting director told Mayo of Lawlar: “Don’t call me crazy, but he’s a poor man’s Jeter. Not sure he will hit enough to be Jeter, but the kid has that kind of presence to him when you meet him. I was extremely impressed.”
And he draws Hall of Fame scouts
Major League scouts have been showing up to watch Lawlar since he was on Jesuit’s JV team. And some of those teams’ representatives would know a star shortstop when they see one.
The Tigers? They sent Hall of Fame shortstop Alan Trammell (who also scouted Detroit’s No. 1 overall Draft pick and current No. 3 prospect in MLB, Spencer Torkelson).
The Rangers? They sent seven-time All-Star shortstop Michael Young, who’s in the team’s Hall of Fame.
He has superstar shortstop role models … and one other superstar role model
Jeter and Correa aren’t just players others are comparing Lawlar to. They’re the players Lawlar himself looks up to the most as a shortstop.
With Jeter, Lawlar told Newberg, it’s “the way he carried himself … I’ve never heard anything bad said about him, and obviously what he did on the field speaks for itself.”
With Correa, it’s about the finer points of hitting: “his hitting tool: nice and easy, picks his foot up, hands separate a little bit, just throws his hands at it, and it goes.”
Is Lawlar on the right track to play like his on-field role models? Let’s go back to Wells one more time. He said about Lawlar: “He’s a perfect mix of those.”
But the biggest influence on Lawlar of all? That would be his mom, Hope, who raised him as a single parent.
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Mets ‘got a steal’ by selecting Kumar Rocker in MLB Draft With The 10th Selection
At one point not so long ago, Kumar Rocker was rumored to be the potential No. 1 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.
But the hard-throwing Vanderbilt right-hander fell — all the way into the Mets’ lap at No. 10 — in the first round of the draft Sunday night.
Rocker was second in the country in strikeouts, after teammate and second overall pick Jack Leiter, with 173 strikeouts in 117.2 innings. He helped the Commodores reach the College World Series.
A source said there were whispers of high money demands and his velocity was slightly down this year, which could have contributed to Rocker sliding down the draft board.
Still, Rocker went 14-4 and compiled a 2.73 ERA. MLB.com rated him as the sixth-best prospect in the draft.
“I think New York really got a steal at No. 10,” MLB Network draft analyst Jim Callis said shortly after the selection.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Rocker became the first college pitcher the Mets have taken in the first round since David Peterson in 2017.
Mets select Kumar Rocker with 10th pick in MLB draft
A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
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In a shocking and very exciting development, the Mets selected Vanderbilt right hand pitcher Kumar Rocker with the tenth pick of the first round. Rocker was often in the conversation for the first overall pick earlier in the year before his stock slipped a bit, but was still well inside the top-10 across most draft lists (7th on Fangraphs, 8th on Baseball Prospectus, 5th on Baseball America). A couple teams chose to reach down the draft board ahead of the Mets, allowing Rocker to fall into their lap.
Needless to say, this is a great get for the Mets. Throughout the pre-draft process, they’ve mostly been connected with lower-ceiling college arms or bats (Ty Madden, Sal Frelick, Matt McClain, among others), with rumors about an underslot deal for prep hitter Colson Montgomery also coming on strong late. Instead, the Mets got one of the most electric arms in the draft in Rocker, who has sky-high upside despite some issues with holding velocity during the 2021 NCAA season. Rocker will likely require an overslot bonus, so it will be interesting to see how this unexpected development affects the rest of the Mets’ draft strategy.
Kumar Rocker falls to New York Mets and every team that passed on him ‘will forever regret it’
Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker was projected at times as the No. 1 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. But when the draft happened Sunday night, Rocker fell to to the New York Mets at No. 10.
There was a mixed response to the pick from baseball fans and experts on social media, including confusion when the Angels selected right-hander Sam Bachman out of Miami (Ohio) at No. 9.
But there also was this from Vanderbilt alumnus Skip Bayless:
“Those who passed on (Rocker) will forever regret it,” Bayless tweeted.
ANALYSIS:Kumar Rocker could be paid like ‘top-five pick’ after falling to New York Mets in 2021 MLB Draft
Here’s a snapshot of what others had to say:
Once Rocker was selected by the Mets, the reaction on social media was overwhelmingly positive. As stated on the MLB Network broadcast, Rocker built a resume at Vanderbilt that showed he “was built for New York.”
Rocker’s former teammate at Vanderbilt shared his excitement to have the pitcher as part of the Mets franchise.
The experts agree. Many baseball writers praised the pick for the Mets and described it as a steal.
Jeff Passan, an MLB Insider for ESPN, explained that Rocker is one of the players more likely to actually make an appearance in the big leagues.
Kumar Rocker
| Kumar Rocker | |||
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| Vanderbilt Commodores – No. 80 | |||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: November 22, 1999 Montgomery, Alabama |
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
Kumar Rocker (born November 22, 1999) is an American baseball pitcher. He played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores. He was drafted at the 10th pick by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.
Career
Rocker attended North Oconee High School in Bogart, Georgia. As a junior in 2017, he had a 1.63 earned run average (ERA) with 68 strikeouts in 55+2⁄3 innings. During the Summer 2017, he played in the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game and Perfect Game All-American Classic. Later in the summer, he played for the USA Baseball 18U National Team.
Rocker committed to Vanderbilt University to play college baseball. He was considered one of the top prospects for the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, but was not selected until the 38th round by the Colorado Rockies, falling due to signability concerns. As a result, he enrolled at Vanderbilt in the Fall of 2018.
On June 8, 2019, Rocker became the first pitcher ever to throw a no-hitter in the Super Regional round during the 2019 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. He recorded 19 strikeouts as Vanderbilt beat Duke 3–0.
Rocker was named the 2019 College World Series Most Outstanding Player after Vanderbilt captured the 2019 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on June 26, 2019. Rocker won both his starts in the College World Series and finished his freshman season with a 12-5 record. He was also named the 2019 Baseball America Freshman of the Year.
Rocker was the #10 pick by the New York Mets in the 2021 MLB draft.
Personal
His father, Tracy Rocker, played in the National Football League (NFL), is a College Football Hall of Famer. from Auburn University, and is the defensive line coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. His maternal grandparents immigrated to the United States from India. His parents met when his mother, Lalitha, was a student at the University of Maryland and his father was playing for the Washington Redskins.
The Seattle Mariners select Harry Ford 12th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft
The Mariners went with one of the best (and fastest) high school catchers in the 2021 MLB draft class.
For the first time since 2014, the Mariners have a high school player with their first-round pick in the MLB Draft, using the 12th overall pick on Harry Ford, who hails from North Cobb High School in Georgia.
Seattle Mariners 2021 MLB Draft Tracker
Since general manager Jerry Dipoto joined the Mariners in late 2015, he and his front office have shied away from prep players with their first picks, selecting only two high schoolers – Joe Rizzo in 2016 and Sam Carlson in 2017 – in the first three rounds since 2016. Ford clearly was too enticing to pass up at 12th overall, though.
Ford played catcher in high school, but the Mariners’ press release has him listed as both a catcher and an outfielder. That makes some sense as Ford’s speed and overall athleticism are what stand out when looking at him as a prospect.
Per MLB Pipeline, which ranked Ford as the 13th-best prospect in this class, Ford has earned a 60 grade (20-80 scale with 50 being average) for his speed, and 55 grades for his arm and fielding. Ford has reportedly earned a lot of praise for his work behind the plate, but his speed and overall athleticism could allow him to move to the outfield if needed.
The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Ford is extremely strong to go along with that speed and athleticism, and he has a lot of potential and room to grow at the plate. He currently has earned 50 grades for his hit tool and power, but he possesses some of the best bat speed in the draft, per MLB Pipeline, though the site notes he has a tendency to try and do too much with the bat.
With some fine tuning at the minor league level, it wouldn’t be surprising to see both those tools catch up to his speed, glove and arm and give him a chance to be a legit five-tool prospect, regardless of where he winds up in terms of his defensive home.
‘He has the toolset of a five-tool player’
Shortly after the Mariners made Ford the 12th overall pick of this year’s draft, Mariners director of amateur scouting Scott Hunter spoke to reporters about the team’s newest prospect.
Hunter said that everyone he spoke to expected the Mariners to take a college pitcher for the fourth year in a row, but Ford’s mix of athleticism and maturity was too much to pass up.
“When you can get an athlete like Harry Ford to start building another part of our organization – we feel we’re pretty deep in pitching right now – and to have a player this high on our board get to us and really be able to dream one where, as we’ve said, we’re calling him a catcher but this kid can play center field, he can play second base,” Hunter said. “We’re going to send him out as a catcher, but he has a toolset of a true five-tool player, so to say he’s just a catcher is probably an understatement. We’re truly excited about adding an offensive impact bat like Harry.”
The mindset for the Mariners, Hunter said, was to take a bat “if all things are equal,” and that Ford had been on his radar for quite some time.
“The kid he is maturity-wise, the adversity he’s seen as a kid growing up and just the presence he has, I think you guys will be amazed with once you get to meet him,” Hunter said. “He’s focused on the right things, he comes from a good family and he fits what we’re doing as the Seattle Mariners really well.”
Hunter and Dipoto had Ford take batting practice in front of them during the pre-draft process, and that round played a big part in what sold the Mariners on Ford.
“He went to the cage, he did his routine and the first two rounds of BP, he slaps a donut on his bat – a weight – and starts taking batting practice like some of the big leaguers do,” Hunter said. “I’m sitting there watching this like, ‘Is this kid for real right now? He’s just hitting line drives to right field with a weighted donut on his bat while the GM’s there.’ And then he took it off and he started spraying balls around and we walked out of there going, ‘This kid has a maturity level that is beyond his years and he took a major league batting practice in front of a major league GM.’ … That was what really solidified it for us.”
Hunter added that there’s no concerns with being able to sign Ford, who’s a Georgia Tech commit, and that he thinks Seattle got the most athletic player in this year’s draft class.
“Just the explosiveness,” Hunter said of what stands out about Ford. ” … It’s probably metrics-wise the most athletic kid in the draft.”
“The pure explosiveness, the pure athleticism, the hand speed, the old school scouting of hand speed and foot speed and all those good things, he hits all of those things,” he later added. “When you start watching this kid just roll around a baseball field, you just notice it’s different. When he wants to run, he runs. When he wants to throw, he lets it loose and it’s a top-of-the-scale arm.”
The Mariners will continue the draft when the second round starts at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
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COMMITMENT |
Best PG Grade
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| NATIONAL RANKING | GA STATE RANKING | ||
| 11 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
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OVERALL |
C |
OVERALL |
C |
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Good athlete with big arm strength behind the plate; fast-twitch, ran a 6.50 at PG National with 85 mph down to second, big raw strength too |
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North Cobb
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5-10
200
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| HIGH SCHOOL | TEAM LAST PLAYED | HEIGHT/WEIGHT |
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R/R
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18 and 4 mos
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18 and 4 mos
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| BATS/THROWS | AGE | Age at 2021 Draft |
| 84
FB VELO |
| 6.50
60 YARD DASH |
| 1.50
10 YARD SPLIT |
| 79
IF VELO |
| 85
C VELO |
| 1.81
C POP |
| 97
EXIT VELO |
| +11 MPH
FB VELO SINCE 04/29/2016 |
| -.71 SEC
60 TIME SINCE 05/20/2017 |
| +10 MPH
C VELO SINCE 05/20/2017 |
| -.19 SEC
POP TIME SINCE 05/20/2017 |
| +19 MPH
EXIT VELO SINCE 05/20/2017 |
| +22.04 MPH
DK MBS SINCE 05/20/2017 |
| +8.33
DK IM SINCE 05/20/2017 |
| +17.78 Gs
DK MA SINCE 05/20/2017 |
| CATEGORY | TOP RESULT | CLASS AVG | PERCENTILE |
| FB | 84 mph | 82 |
63.28%
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| 60 | 6.50 sec | 7.27 |
98.96%
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| 10 SPL | 1.50 sec | 1.70 |
98.61%
|
| IF | 79 mph | 72 |
84.07%
|
| C | 85 mph | 74 |
98.55%
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| Pop | 1.81 sec | 2.11 |
99.00%
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| CATEGORY | TOP RESULT | CLASS AVG | PERCENTILE |
| Max Barrel Speed | 80.800 mph | 66.20 |
98.86%
|
| Impact Momentum | 30.340 | 24.68 |
98.51%
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| Max Acceleration | 50.090 g’s | 33.49 |
98.15%
|
05/20/201706/02/201860645557596163656769Max Barrel Speed (mph)Average for Grad Year
| BATTING STATS | LAST OCCURRENCE |
|---|---|
| At bats: 5 | Sep 25, 2020 vs. Team Elite 2022 Grey |
| Runs: 3 | Sep 06, 2020 vs. Upstate Mavericks ST |
| Hits: 3 | Jul 03, 2020 vs. JWB Baseball |
| RBI’s: 4 | Jul 03, 2020 vs. ATL Metro 17U RBI |
| Doubles: 1 | Sep 26, 2020 vs. Central Scout Team (18U) |
| Triples: 1 | Sep 19, 2020 vs. Ninth Inning Royals 18U Wilkerson |
| Home runs: 1 | Sep 26, 2020 vs. Central Scout Team (18U) |
| Total bases: 6 | Sep 26, 2020 vs. Central Scout Team (18U) |
| Walks: 2 | Sep 06, 2020 vs. Upstate Mavericks ST |
| SAC flies: 1 | Sep 18, 2020 vs. Yanase Baseball |
| Stolen bases: 2 | Sep 19, 2020 vs. Ninth Inning Royals 18U Wilkerson |
| Hit by pitch: 2 | Jul 19, 2018 vs. KBC 15U Prime |
| PITCHING STATS | LAST OCCURRENCE |
|---|---|
| Inn. pitched: 4.1 | Jun 26, 2017 vs. eXposure 14U Prime |
| Runs allowed: 0 | Jul 19, 2020 vs. Easley Baseball Club 17U GoForth |
| Earned runs: 0 | Jul 19, 2020 vs. Easley Baseball Club 17U GoForth |
| Hits allowed: 0 | Jul 19, 2020 vs. Easley Baseball Club 17U GoForth |
| Strikeouts: 6 | Jun 26, 2017 vs. eXposure 14U Prime |
| Walks allowed: 0 | Jul 19, 2020 vs. Easley Baseball Club 17U GoForth |
Who is Kahlil Watson? Quick hits on the Marlins’ first-round Kahlil Watson with the No. 16 overall draft pick
The Miami Marlins selected added another quality bat to their organization and potentially got the steal of the MLB Draft in the process.
Their selection with the No. 16 overall pick on Sunday: Wake Forest (North Carolina) High School shortstop Kahlil Watson, who was ranked as high as the No. 4 overall prospect in the draft.
After having a top-five pick each of the last two years, the Marlins had to wait for half of the league to make its selections before going on the clock.
“It really does make a difference when you’re picking 16th as opposed to fourth or fifth,” Marlins first-year general manager Kim Ng said ahead of the draft. “There’s a lot more that can happen. The cards can fall differently. There’s a lot more opportunity for unexpected things to happen.”
That was certainly the case on Sunday, with Watson slipping out of the first half of the first round despite being a consensus top-seven prospect.
Watson averaged .477 across his high school career with 16 home runs in 66 games. As a senior, he hit .513 in 15 games with six home runs and 14 RBI. He also had 61 steals in 66 career games for the Wake Forest Cougars.
The signing bonus slot value for the No. 16 overall pick is $3,745,500.
Scouting reports
MLB Pipeline, which ranked Watson No. 4: “Watson plays bigger than his listed 5-foot-9 and 178 pounds at the plate. He has plenty of bat speed and takes a big left-handed cut, giving him plus raw pop. Though he has an aggressive power-over-hit approach that may need toning down against more advanced pitchers, he does make consistent contact and doesn’t chase pitches out of the strike zone too often.
“Running better than ever as a senior, Watson consistently displays well-above-average speed and is a basestealing threat. The North Carolina State recruit has the actions and instincts to play a solid shortstop. He could play almost anywhere on the diamond with his quickness and arm strength, and his offensive potential would allow him to profile well at several positions.”
Baseball America, which ranked Watson No. 6: “Watson was one of the standout performers over the summer showcase circuit and immediately put himself in first-round territory after a standout showing at East Coast Pro, where he ran a 6.5 60-yard-dash and looked like one of the best hitters at the event. Watson isn’t the most physical player you’ll see, listed at 5-foot-9, 178 pounds, but there are scouts in the industry who believe his combination of athleticism, tools and defensive profile give him the most upside in the class. Watson has outstanding bat speed and plenty of strength in his swing, with a tendency to take massive hacks and try to hit for power.
“Despite that approach, he has shown a smooth, lefthanded swing and an ability to manipulate his barrel, with impressive at-bats against some of the best pitchers in the class over the summer. Against mid-90s fastballs and some of the best breaking balls the prep class has to offer, Watson seemed perfectly comfortable within his at-bats, spitting on pitches out of the zone, drawing walks when he needed to and driving pitches in his hitting zone when the opportunity arose. That approach and his physical tools should allow him to project as an above-average hitter with solid or better power. Watson is a tremendous athlete who has turned in 70-grade run times at various events and should be at least a plus runner consistently.
“Defensively, he has all the tools to stick at shortstop, with quick-twitch actions, solid glove work and 60-grade arm strength. There have been some scouts who think he might fit best at second base or perhaps in center field in the long run thanks to his speed and athleticism, but there’s no tool he’s missing that he needs to be an above-average defensive shortstop.”
ESPN, which ranked Watson No. 5: “Explosive in the batter’s box with a chance to be a plus hitter who has 20-30 homer power in the Jose Ramirez type area, but he is also the biggest risk of this year’s four elite prep shortstops to slide off of the position.”
The Athletic, which ranked Watson No. 7: “Watson’s season only started during the last week of April, but he showed enough last year to end up in the top-10 picks, with above-average tools across the board, strength for hard contact, and enough speed and athleticism to stay at shortstop with some work.”
What’s next?
The Marlins have one more pick on Sunday, selecting No. 31 overall to open the Competitive Balance A round of the draft.
Rounds 2-10 take place on Monday starting at 1 p.m. The draft concludes with Rounds 11-20 on Tuesday starting at noon.
Kahlil Watson
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| Kahlil Watson | |||
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: April 16, 2003 | |||
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Kahlil Watson (born April 16, 2003) is an American baseball shortstop. He was selected in the first round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft by the Miami Marlins.
Career
Watson attended Wake Forest High School in Wake Forest, North Carolina.[1][2] He played both baseball and football in high school.
As a freshman, Watson hit .389 with two home runs, 22 runs batted in (RBI) and 17 stolen bases. As a sophomore he hit .578 with six home runs, 23 RBI and 26 stolen bases.
Watson is considered one of the top prospects for the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[3][4][5] He is committed to NC State University to play college baseball.
This NC high school shortstop is a top prospect in the 2021 MLB Draft.
ake things happen,” Joyner said. “I think people become hesitant to intentionally walk him to avoid what might happen. Because it could be two more pitches and he’s around the bases at third, and then we’re looking at a ground ball or fly ball to get him in.”
Indeed, Watson has stolen 54 career bases at Wake Forest (just under one a game). His speed has also helped him excel as a defensive shortstop tasked with making quick and decisive cuts, and as starting wide receiver and defensive back for the Cougars’ football team (he won state titles in 2017 and 2018).
Carlos Collazo, who covers the MLB Draft for Durham-based Baseball America, said Watson has a “decent shot going inside the top 10” off his positional versatility and physical tools alone.
“It’s very tough for a player like that to fall too far,” Collazo said of Watson, who ranks 10th in BA’s Top 400 prospect list. “You have a lot of comfort in high school shortstops that are that athletic.”
Barring any last-second slippage, Watson will be North Carolina’s first high school MLB first rounder since New Hanover pitcher Blake Walston in 2019. He’ll also be the state’s eighth high school first rounder since 2012 and its first first-round shortstop since Whiteville’s Patrick Lennon in 1986, per BA.
910Preps:16 high school baseball players to watch in Cumberland County
Once that day comes, Watson will be all in on his professional baseball career. But for now, he has a more pressing goal: taking the Cougars far in the NCHSAA 4-A playoffs, which start June 15. Wake Forest lost in the first round in 2018 and 2019, and its 2020 regular season was canceled after five games.
“This year, we might have a chance to go all the way,” Watson said.
As he makes that final playoff push, Watson has grown as comfortable as ever in his stardom. That’s made Joyner a key facilitator this spring, adding onto his coaching and athletic director duties.
But it’s not too bad: he just keeps the team schedule updated online, gives Watson extra batting practice if scouts are around and lets the good times roll for North Carolina’s next prep-to-pro prospect.
“You know, it’s been a good problem to have,” Joyner said. “A really good problem to have. He’s a special kid. There’s not really a ceiling for him right now. And as he gets older, he has a chance to get a lot stronger. I imagine we’ll see him for a long time.”
Kahlil Watson
|
COMMITMENT |
NO PG GRADE |
| NATIONAL RANKING | NC STATE RANKING | ||
| 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
|
OVERALL |
SS |
OVERALL |
SS |
|
Explosive tools across the board; continued ascent throughout summer & into fall; fast hands offensively, present juice w/ excellent barrel skills; stands out defensively, big arm across. |
|||
|
Wake Forest
|
5-11
168
|
|
| HIGH SCHOOL | TEAM LAST PLAYED | HEIGHT/WEIGHT |
|
L/R
|
18 and 2 mos
|
18 and 2 mos
|
| BATS/THROWS | AGE | Age at 2021 Draft |
00.20.40.60.811.2Max Barrel Speed (mph)Average for Grad Year
| BATTING STATS | LAST OCCURRENCE |
|---|---|
| At bats: 4 | Jul 23, 2020 vs. East Coast Sox 17U Founders Club |
| Runs: 3 | Jun 28, 2020 vs. Tennessee Nationals 17u |
| Hits: 3 | Jul 14, 2020 vs. Clay Cobras 2021 |
| RBI’s: 4 | Jul 17, 2020 vs. Dallas Tigers 17U Britton |
| Doubles: 1 | Oct 11, 2020 vs. FTB/SF Giants Scout Team 2021 |
| Triples: 1 | Jul 19, 2020 vs. US Elite 17U National |
| Home runs: 1 | Oct 10, 2020 vs. East Coast Sandhogs – McGloin |
| Total bases: 6 | Jul 13, 2020 vs. Georgia Roadrunners |
| Walks: 2 | Oct 08, 2020 vs. Dirtbags Skrap Pak |
| SAC flies: 1 | Jul 13, 2020 vs. East Coast Sandhogs – 17U McGloin |
| Stolen bases: 2 | Oct 11, 2020 vs. FTB/SF Giants Scout Team 2021 |
Jay Allen drafted 30th overall by the Cincinnati Reds
John Carrol Catholic High School outfielder Jay Allen is the third Florida signee to get drafted in the 2021 MLB Draft.
The Cincinnati Reds selected Jay Allen on Sunday night with the 30th overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft.
On Perfect Game, Jay Allen is the 20th ranked high school prospect and the fifth-ranked outfielder in the country. He’s also the third prospect and the top-ranked outfielder out of Florida according to Perfect Game. Allen was selected to play in the Perfect Game All-American Classic last summer.
On MLB Pipeline, Allen is the 33rd ranked draft prospect. On Prospects Live, Allen is the 38th ranked prospect in the 2021 MLB Draft.
Jay Allen didn’t take long to commit to Florida as they offered him during his freshman season and quickly announced his commitment to the Gators. Allen signed his National Letter of Intent to the University of Florida last November.
The slot value for the 30th pick is $ 2,365,500.
Jay Allen goes to the Cinncinatti Reds with the 30th pick
2021 MLB Draft Profile
Jay Allen is a six-foot-three 190-pound outfielder from John Carroll High School in Fort Pierce, Florida. During his senior year, Allen batted to a .357/.491/.571 slash line for the Rams. In 84 at-bats, Jay amassed two home runs, eight doubles, two triples, 14 runs batted in, and scored 34 runs. He also stole 22 bases in the 28 games of his final season of high school, which led the team. If Allen decides to attend college, he has committed to play baseball at the University of Florida. He was a standout football player as well but has chosen to only play baseball in the future. MLB lists Jay Allen as number 33 on its draft board.
Strengths
Jay Allen is a good all-around player. His scouting report lists all of his tools at 50 or above on a scale between 20 and 80. The one tool that stands out more than any other is his arm. The scouts grade his arm at a 55, which should be strong enough to place him in center field. Allen’s speed should allow him to catch up to a lot of fly balls in the outfield and his arm ought to enable him to get the ball back into the infield quickly. Allen is extremely athletic both in the field and on the base paths. He stole a lot of bases in high school and also swiped six bases in 17 games in the summer circuit in 2020. Time will tell whether or not his speed will transfer to the major leagues, but 10 or 15 stolen bases per season are reasonable.
Weaknesses-NONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jay Allen is good all around, and that may be his weakness. Other than his arm, there is no single skill that stands out above the rest. His hitting is starting to improve and so is his power, but to this point, they do not stand out enough to raise him higher on the draft boards. Some scouts think that his athletic frame will allow power to develop naturally. However, if he adds weight onto his frame it may hinder his speed. This is not always the case, but if more weight brings more power to add to his strong right arm, it may end up pushing Allen to right field in the future. If being good all around is a weakness, then weakness bodes well for Jay Allen’s future as a baseball player.
MLB Comparison
Jay Allen is reminiscent of a center fielder by the name of Mike Cameron. Cameron played 17 years in the majors for eight different teams and amassed a .249/.338/.444 slash line. His best years came with the Seattle Mariners. Allen is an inch taller than Cameron, but both are good all around. Mike Cameron is six-foot-two and weighed 210-pounds in his prime. Like Allen, Cameron had speed, size, and power. Cameron averaged 23 home runs, 32 doubles, and 25 stolen bases per 162 games. It will be interesting to see if Jay Allen’s stolen base ability translates to as many stolen bases as Mike Cameron was able to steal in the majors. But Allen should have the hitting, fielding, power, and arm strength comparable to Cameron if he continues at the same pace at which he’s been developing.
Jay Allen
|
COMMITMENT |
Best PG Grade
|
| NATIONAL RANKING | FL STATE RANKING | ||
| 20 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
|
OVERALL |
OF |
OVERALL |
OF |
|
Super Athletic with a CF profile. Huge potential with the bat and the power is starting to show up. Big time 2-sport prospect. Really athletic actions at the PG National with middle of the field and middle of the lineup potential. |
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|
John Carroll Catholic
|
6-3
190
|
|
| HIGH SCHOOL | TEAM LAST PLAYED | HEIGHT/WEIGHT |
|
R/R
|
18 and 7 mos
|
18 and 7 mos
|
| BATS/THROWS | AGE | Age at 2021 Draft |
| 88
FB VELO |
| 91
OF VELO |
| 89
EXIT VELO |
| CATEGORY | TOP RESULT | CLASS AVG | PERCENTILE |
| FB | 88 mph | 82 |
86.34%
|
| OF | 91 mph | 82 |
92.53%
|
00.20.40.60.811.2Max Barrel Speed (mph)Average for Grad Year
| BATTING STATS | LAST OCCURRENCE |
|---|---|
| At bats: 4 | Jun 14, 2020 vs. North Florida Storm 18U Diamond |
| Runs: 2 | Sep 04, 2020 vs. West |
| Hits: 2 | Jul 22, 2020 vs. Dallas Tigers 2021 T. Hernandez |
| RBI’s: 2 | Jul 18, 2020 vs. East Cobb Braves 17U Yancey |
| Doubles: 1 | Jun 28, 2020 vs. BC Athletics 17u |
| Triples: 1 | Jun 26, 2020 vs. Knights Baseball 17u Platinum |
| Home runs: 1 | Jul 18, 2020 vs. East Cobb Braves 17U Yancey |
| Total bases: 5 | Oct 06, 2019 vs. Diamond Jacks Super 17 |
| Walks: 3 | Jul 19, 2020 vs. The Clubhouse 2021 |
| SAC flies: 1 | Jun 12, 2020 vs. Freshwater Storm Green |
| Stolen bases: 3 | Sep 04, 2020 vs. West |
| Hit by pitch: 1 | Sep 04, 2020 vs. West |
| PITCHING STATS | LAST OCCURRENCE |
|---|---|
| Inn. pitched: 2.0 | Jun 28, 2020 vs. East Coast Sox 17U HTG |
| Runs allowed: 0 | Jun 28, 2020 vs. East Coast Sox 17U HTG |
| Earned runs: 0 | Jul 22, 2020 vs. Dallas Tigers 2021 T. Hernandez |
| Hits allowed: 0 | Jul 22, 2020 vs. Dallas Tigers 2021 T. Hernandez |
| Strikeouts: 4 | Jul 22, 2019 vs. Florida Burn 2021 Platinum |
| Walks allowed: 0 | Jun 28, 2020 vs. East Coast Sox 17U HTG |
- JerseyPos
- #2OF, RHP
- OverallDistrict
- 18-111-0
- FL Rank
- 92
- GP28
- Avg.357
- OBP.491
- H30
- RBI14
- R34
